Research Task 1-Amie Nelms

Lou-Lou Lives Here (Grian), 2003

Genre-Thriller/Supernatural

• Shape shifting idea-into a dog


• Crows-signify danger/change


• Black and white gives it an eerie feel


• Editing provides fast cuts in fight scene


• Subjective camerawork (POV)


• Mise en scene of woods-isolation, crime scene


• High contrast lighting- chilling feel
  
• Variety of shots/camera angles-to disorientation eg. camera swirling, blurriness, close ups, circle effect, out of focus, shake on camera
• High significance of props-to create and suggest danger eg. scarecrow-'stay away', protection (crops), sign on gate "Beware" definitely highlights danger

Narrative

• Equilibrium, disruption and resolution


• Oppositional characters- girl/dog vs man


• Quick pace of film, creates tension and suspense, gets to point quickly


• Opening-zooming shot of a pylon in field, acts as establishing shot, find girl laying on floor which confirms who the short film is about


• Ending-Finding out that she shape shifts into a dog-Clues in film...
  

- Dissolve of girl running with an overlapping picture of the dog running (legs), connecting ideas ; dog toy which man holds in hand to entice dog/girl to get into van; blurry vision-suggesting dogs have poor vision; black and white colour-dogs see in black and white; licking of blood off knee; dead rabbit on floor, crouching body language and extreme close up of animal suggests she's about to eat it.

Sound

• Non-diegetic low key soundtrack, creates dark atmosphere, creates suspense


• High emphasise on environmental sound effects eg. helicopter, wind, breathing, footsteps, van, dog etc.


• Slight echo effect to create eeriness


• Lack of dialogue means audience is listening to sound effects to tell story, give cues, relating picture to sound


• Sound effects act as narration
  

Themes and Issues

• Abduction- helicopter noises suggests search for little girl; white van iconography, suggests paedophile (stereotype)


• Crime- murder/injury of man by dog, paedophilia


• Innocence- little girl, extreme close ups/close ups of girls face, high contrast, white suggests dream like-fairytale, white=purity

Comments

Personally, I admire the variety of shots and effects used to disorientate the audience, to create tension. In particular the close up shots which create the impression that the girl is innocent, making the audience sympathise her. Perhaps if we were to do either the thriller genre or social realism style, we could incorporate these disorientating camerawork. I also like the use of high key lighting and contrast to add the dream like quality, which we could use to create some sort of contrast in our own short film. The shape shifting idea is definitely unique, something which I feel works, however I think I would possibly try to stay clear of this idea as I feel it has been done and wouldn't like to try and create a short film similar to this one. I ideally would like to create something visually creative like this film, however use an original story and plot.

I definitely would like to incorporate the influence of lack of dialogue and high emphasise on sound effects and non-diegetic soundtrack if we were to go down the thriller genre root as I think this really adds to the suspense, acts as narration and makes it more exciting and entertaining for the audience. However, perhaps make sure the sound effects and folyes are of a high quality and naturally fit with action on screen as I think the ones on this short film can stand out a bit too much at times.

Amie Nelms


Lou-Lou Lives Here
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